For the last few days, the Italy Segreta office has been wading through a cloud of butter, vanilla, and candied orange. Friday was official tasting time, and we gathered around a table piled high with panettoni to answer December’s most pressing question: Which one deserves a place on your table?

To create this lineup, we personally reached out to a curated list of artisanal bakers and pastry chefs across Italy whose work we admire. Of course, we couldn’t possibly try every single loaf in the country in one sitting (though we wish we could); there are thousands of incredible bakers out there and, per fortuna, many Christmases to come.

The entire Italy Segreta team sat down with pen and paper, scrutinizing flavor, crumb structure, aroma, packaging, and canditi quality. We took notes, compared impressions, and didn’t always agree! We debated oranginess and air bubbles, but after many, many slices, we have our results. Most of these are available to order online, so you can bring a slice to your own holiday celebration no matter where in the country (or, sometimes, even world) you are. 

Here are our superlatives from the season, from the best dressed to the best for the chocolate fanatics.

Best Dressed: 

Marchesi 1824, Il Panettone Meneghino (€185)

It’s perhaps no surprise that this historic Milanese pastry shop is owned by Prada; the packaging of this year’s Il Panettone Meneghino is as chic as a couture collection. In a Christmas-themed hatbox and wrapped in a real cloth bag, the Meneghino adds a splash of Grand Marnier to the traditional Milanese panettone. Supremely fluffy, featuring a high dome and large air bubbles that speak to a masterful rising process, the panettone itself is also worthy of the runway. This one isn’t aggressively sweet but aromatic and refined, with delicate notes of Madagascar Bourbon vanilla and orange; it practically melts in your mouth, as if it was made of air rather than sugar and butter. Bring it to impress your in-laws or place it as the centerpiece of your holiday table.

Best Crowd Pleaser:

Grano, Schiaccianoci (€36)

This is the ultimate comfort panettone. The Schiaccianoci (“Nutcracker”) from Grano (Fornai in Fermento) delivers a texture that is nothing short of gooey, packed with large chunks of Granny Smith apples, walnuts, and caramel chocolate; the exterior is coated in a gorgeous caramelized sugar glaze. It’s on the sweeter side, with cozy cinnamon and spice that make it a perfect match for your morning coffee or tea. Approachable and fruity, yet void of polarizing canditi, it’s the rare panettone that bridges the generational divide, guaranteeing a battle between the kids who’ll gobble it up for dessert and the adults who want to save some for breakfast.

Best for Those Who Want To Try Something New:

Peck, Panettone Sacher (€48)

For those suffering from raisin fatigue, Peck—Milan’s historic, gastronome-favorite supermarket—offers a brilliant detour. While the institution itself is as traditional as can be, this specific panettone is a modern twist modeled after Vienna’s famous Sacher Torte. We found the interplay of textures to be unique and sophisticated, pitching a slightly drier dough against rich ribbons of apricot jam (which practically explode in your mouth) and distinct chocolate chips. Wrapped in paper and tied with a ribbon, it recalls classic pasticceria packaging rather than the rigid boxes so many modern panettoni arrive in. It’s a great choice for those who think they’ve tasted it all.

Best for Chocolate Lovers:

Olivieri 1882, Black Panettone*

*Available online soon

Dense and rich, Olivieri 1882’s limited-edition Black Panettone features a dark chocolate dough filled with dark chocolate chunks and topped with crunchy hazelnuts. If dessert has always equaled chocolate for you, this is the one to get. It’s also visually striking—dark and moody compared to its golden counterparts. From Arzignano in the Veneto region, Olivieri 1882 is a panettone (and pandoro) dynasty now run by Nicola Olivieri, the sixth generation of the family. A worldwide favorite, earning multiple nods from The New York Times, the bakery also ships its freshly baked panettoni to the US in just 48 hours.

Best Canditi:

Ciacco, Panettone Milano (€22)

In Parma and Milan, gelateria Ciacco is where “gelato scientist” Stefano Guizzetti applies a chemist’s precision to flavors—an obsession that translates perfectly to his baking. If you judge a panettone by its canditi, Ciacco wins hands down. The secret? Guizzetti sources his candied oranges and raisins (three different types!) from the legendary Corrado Assenza in Noto, Sicily. We found whole, luscious rinds of orange and juicy fruits throughout the uniform crumb—a masterpiece for the dried-fruit aficionados.

Best for Those Who Wish Panettone Was More Than Dessert:

Forno Brisa, Panettonissimo Mortadella e Parmigiano Reggiano (€42)

This is the panettone you eat for lunch, not after it. One of Bologna’s premier bakeries, Forno Brisa, which is strictly devoted to live sourdough, always knows how to go against the grain. Packed with large chunks of Parmigiano Reggiano and mortadella, it reminded us of a giant savory gougère with that signature sourdough bubbling. Aesthetically, it is more rustic than its sweet siblings, though it does arrive in a fun, funky box with a giant mortadella pattern. 

Note: Because they refuse to use preservatives, this one has a shelf life of just two weeks; given how addictive it is, it really shouldn’t be a problem to eat it quickly!

Best Traditional:

MADRE by Mattia Premoli, Il Panettone (€40)

Panettone was born in Milan, and this iteration hails from neighboring Treviglio, staying true to the roots of the classic panettone Milano—a style that eschews sugary toppings for a naked dome and relies on the holy trinity of raisins, candied orange, and citron. Created by Mattia Premoli, this purists’ panettone wows with a bright yellow crumb—a telltale sign of high-quality eggs and butter—studded with that traditional variety of canditi and crowned with a beautiful, golden crust. The orange-scented dough, the smell of which hits you immediately upon opening the bag, is made with sourdough and has earned an accolade from Gambero Rosso. This is one that proves the wheel doesn’t always need to be reinvented.

BONUS:

Best for Those Who Live in Florence:

Four Seasons Hotel Firenze, Panettone della Gherardesca (€55)

A special mention goes to our neighbors in Florence, whose Panettone della Gherardesca this year was a team-wide hit. Developed by the Four Seasons Hotel Firenze executive team and local artisanal bakery Leonardo Firenze, this canditi-free panettone sports properly dark chocolate chunks and juicy apricot pieces. On top, a crunchy, colomba-like glaze is studded with sweet Puglian almonds and Brazil nuts. In a pretty red box with gold details inspired by Florence, this top-notch option is available only to those lucky enough to go get one in person.